Chapter 1: Unwanted guests

"We're just protecting you! What's wrong with that?"

Stefan was furious. Elena could understand why. But if he was not giving up trying to protect her, than she wouldn't back down either and would carry on with protecting him.

"I don't want to be saved. Not if it means your death!"

She knew that they sounded childish and so sickly loving as in all those soppy romance movies. Now she saw why Damon always rolled his eyes at them. It really was annoying.

Stefan let himself fall next to her on the couch.

"Our lives mean nothing to us without you. Damon, tell her this; she is not listening to me!"

Her eyes darted over to the silent vampire across the room. It was a surprise that he had been quiet for so long. He had watched their discussion without any comment. But as she looked into his blue, intense eyes, she instantly knew that he would have the last word in regard to this whole thing.

"I die for you, Elena. If you are going to sacrifice yourself, than I will be the one who stands between you and Klaus; between you and your death. He'll have to kill me first before he can get to you."

His voice was quiet and still, no emotion showing. Other than to everything Stefan had said, there we're no words for Damon. She was just staring at him, her mouth hanging open.

"You … you can't do this! You're not going to die because of me!"

Now she was just as furious as Stefan had been. Damon's words had the effect Stefan was hoping for.

"Elena, that's exactly what I'm trying to tell you: You're worth dying for!"

"Why are we arguing about this again? We already went over it, you're not dying for me and I'm not chan…"

Glass splintered. Elena cried out. From everywhere were vampires coming at them. Seven of the vampires were using vampire speed to circle the two Salvatore brothers, but didn't even shot a look at Elena. An eighth vampire was coming at her direction, not threatening but still he made no attempt to stop.

Stefan in the meantime took a few steps in the direction of Elena, probably to protect her. Anyway he was stop by two of the vampires who grabbed his arms. He immediately started to fight them of, but with his animal blood diet and the just small amount of her blood in his system, he had no changes against those far older vampires.

Damon on the other hand was a whole different story. The five remaining vampires had a hard time getting hold of the older, but smaller Salvatore. All of the attacking vampires were more than half a head taller than Damon and about five hundred years older, but still Damon kept his ground. While four vampires distracted him, the fifth one was approaching Damon in his blind spot. Elena could see the Vervain dart in the vampire's hand.

"Damon, behin … mphf …"

The vampire next to her grabbed her quickly and put a big hand on her mouth to silent her. She tried to get her head out of his hold to warn Damon again, but he kept his hand on the struggling head in place. Stefan had already become aware of her situation and was now trying to break free. He also was held in place.

"Get your hands off of her!"

Stefan hadn't been screaming, but his voice trough his clenched teethes had been loud enough. It distracted Damon immediately. And his opponents saw the weakness and used it to their advantage. Two men tossed themselves on him and together they went struggling down to the ground. Damon was held down to the ground by his arms and Elena could see the swift movements of the Vervain holding vampire. Within an instant he was by Damon's side and raised the dart.

Elena could see the fear in those lightning blue eyes, but it was instantly replaced with anger. And in the moment the vampire struck, all what Elena saw in Damon's eyes was pain. His movements got slower and after one last hateful glance at his captor his body went limp. His eyes slowly closed.

The vampires still didn't move one step, but after it was obvious that Damon wouldn't move they started to get up and took position.

Elena paid no attention on her surroundings; all she could focus on was the lifeless form of the vampire who had tried so desperately to defend her. It was her fault. She looked over to Stefan and saw that he tempted to lose the grip that the older vampires had on him to reach his brother.

"No, no, no! Let me go! Damon!"

She understood his desperation. She felt the same inside her heart. Damon had been defeated; she had never thought to see this day coming. But here it was and they could do nothing to help him.

Softly chuckling from behind her caught her attention. She saw from the corner of the eye that Stefan's whole focus was still on his motionless brother. But every thought of the two vampire brothers were instantly forgotten when she saw who was approaching from the shadows.

It was a man. He was pretty tall, probably about 2 feet taller than Stefan. His hair was so blond, that it seemed almost white. Elena knew that he was a vampire, but she could feel the power that was coming from his body. He was far more powerful than Damon, and to say that Damon wasn't powerful was a huge and deadly understatement.

Grey eyes locked on Elena. His look was terrifying. She never saw anything as cruel as this before. She wanted to back up, but the vampire held her in place. The powerful vampire smiled at her; she never saw a more heartless smile than his.

"Elena Gilbert. Mhm, the doppelganger. What a pleasure to meet you … and your friends."

He shot a short look to the two vampires.

"Klaus. The original. What displeasure to meet you."